Sule Karaci

Biography:
She was born in 1964 in Istanbul. After graduating from Istanbul University Faculty of Economics, she got her master’s degree from the same university.

She started with her photography works in 2008 and she participated in various mixed exhibits.

Her interest in photography helped her gain new perspectives on life. Karaci is currently a member of Istanbul University Faculty of Economics Alumni Association, Roche Photography Club, Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü congress member; she is married with a child.

Exhibition: One Day
For Imbros (Gökçeada), for the Greeks of Turkish nationality living in Imbros, 15th of August represents a very special occasion. 15th of August, the day when the Mother Mary ascended to the heavens and became immortal, is celebrated as a holiday. During and after the years of the population exchange, those who had to move out of Imbros and live in different places around the world, primarily Greece, come back with their children and grandchildren for the festivities. Another reason why Imbros is a special place for them is because it is also the birthplace of Bartholomeos, the Fener Greek Patriarch.

That one day, there is a fair, offerings are made, tombs and graves are visited; and in the evening, people eat, drink and dance together around the table set up at the village square. This traditional ritualistic festival continues until the late night hours. This festive ambiance impresses the young as much as the old who are now at the place where their ancestors were born and raised up.

The houses left abandoned after the population exchange are beginning to fall apart, some still resisting the detrimental effects of loneliness. Some, on the other hand, like the village church have been looked after, their old identities are kept alive. This time, migration has been reversed from grandparents to grandchildren.

With what is left behind of the past embraced by today’s people, that “one” day they become “one” again… For even one day, migration is defeated by the sense of belongingness.

This post is also available in: Turkish